WTTC, JATA and Tourism Expo Japan Join Forces to Drive Japan’s Global Tourism Growth

In Brief: The World Travel & & Tourism Council (WTTC), Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA), and Tourism Expo Japan have actually revealed a collaboration targeted at speeding up Japan’s worldwide tourist development through joint efforts and tactical promo.

The World Travel & & Tourism Council (WTTC), the Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) and the Tourism EXPO Japan (TEJ) Executive Committee have actually signed up with forces to reinforce Japan’s position at the heart of the international Travel & & Tourism neighborhood, signing a brand-new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) concentrated on cooperation, development, understanding exchange and worldwide engagement.

WTTC President & & CEO Gloria Guevara has actually signed the arrangement along with JATA Chairman Yuji Hara and Tourism EXPO Japan Executive Committee Chairperson Eijiro Yamakita, uniting 3 leading organisations with a shared aspiration to reinforce connections in between Japan’s Travel & & Tourism sector and the international market. The arrangement will produce brand-new chances for understanding exchange, worldwide discussion, market engagement and cooperation throughout the sector.

The collaboration comes as Japan’s Travel & & Tourism sector continues to provide substantial financial development. According to WTTC’s most current Economic Impact Research (EIR), the sector contributed US$ 343.1 billion to Japan’s economy in 2025, representing 8.1% of overall GDP and making Japan the world’s fifth-largest Travel & & Tourism economy. The sector grew by 4.6% in 2015, substantially ahead of the 1.1% development tape-recorded by Japan’s larger economy.

International visitor costs has actually been a significant motorist of this development. International tourists invested US$ 63.3 billion in Japan in 2025, making the nation the world’s seventh-largest market for global visitor costs, up from 15th in 2019. Investing increased by 8.8% year-on-year and was 74.9% greater than in 2019.

Japan’s ongoing success as a tourist location has actually been supported by its strong worldwide brand name appeal, varied tourist offering, connection and transportation facilities. The nation is likewise accepting digital change throughout the Travel & & Tourism sector, consisting of using AI-powered innovations and automation to boost labor force effectiveness, enhance operations and support a much better travel experience. As the sector continues to progress, development and partnership in between the general public and economic sectors will be crucial to opening future development and competitiveness.

At the exact same time, the quick development in global visitors is putting higher concentrate on location stewardship, with policymakers and market significantly thinking about how tourist development can be handled along with the requirements of regional neighborhoods.

JATA is a basic bundled association in Japan and a trade association for travel bureau whose goals are to broaden travel need, enhance travel services, and promote the sound advancement of the tourist market. It has 1,200 complete members, 326 associate members, 80 affiliate members, and 137 abroad affiliate members. Tourist EXPO Japan is a significant worldwide tourist occasion, combining public and economic sector stakeholders from Japan and around the globe to promote tourist advancement, global exchange and cooperation throughout the Travel & & Tourism sector.

Gloria Guevara, President & & CEO, WTTC, stated: Japan has actually developed among the world’s most effective Travel & & Tourism economies, integrating an amazing tourist offering with strong connection and a positive method to tourist advancement. This brand-new arrangement unites 3 organisations with a shared aspiration to enhance Japan’s connections with the worldwide Travel & & Tourism neighborhood and produce brand-new chances for cooperation.

As the sector gets in a brand-new period formed by AI and digital change, development and partnership will be more vital than ever. Through this collaboration, we can share understanding, support the adoption of brand-new innovations, aid enhance labor force performance and produce brand-new chances for companies and locations. We anticipate interacting to support the long-lasting development of Japan’s Travel & & Tourism sector and enhance its function on the international phase.”

Yuji Hara, Chairman, JATA, stated:“I think that the finalizing of this Memorandum of Understanding on Tourism cooperation with the WTTC– a prominent worldwide company representing the economic sector– is a substantial turning point for our association, which is likewise a private-sector tourist market company. I anticipate the Japanese and global economic sectors associated with tourist collaborating to share their insights and understanding, thus promoting sustainable, long-lasting, and inclusive tourist and advancing efforts that benefit our particular members.”

Eijiro Yamakita, Chairperson, TEJ Executive Committee, stated: “I am happy that we had the ability to sign this memorandum of understanding. In specific, I think that the contract reached through this memorandum for the WTTC to take part in Tourism EXPO Japan will assist improve the occasion’s global existence. I think that Japan’s involvement in occasions arranged by the WTTC will promote shared exchange and contribute to improving Japan’s existence in the worldwide tourist sector.”

Under the MOU, the 3 organisations will check out chances to exchange research study, reports, insights, market intelligence and finest practices, supporting evidence-based decision-making and the future advancement of Travel & & Tourism. They will likewise check out chances for cooperation on research study efforts and joint activities at tactical Travel & & Tourism occasions in Japan and globally.

The collaboration will support higher global engagement, consisting of chances for JATA and Tourism EXPO Japan stakeholders to get in touch with WTTC Members and the more comprehensive worldwide Travel & & Tourism neighborhood, while producing chances for WTTC to engage with senior leaders and market stakeholders throughout Japan.

The 3 organisations will likewise check out chances to support development, digital change, competitiveness and durability throughout the sector, along with more powerful cooperation with nationwide, local and city location management organisations to support the sustainable advancement and global positioning of locations.

The MOU shows a shared dedication to enhancing cooperation in between Japan’s Travel & & Tourism sector and the worldwide tourist neighborhood, producing higher chances for partnership, understanding exchange and global engagement.